Greg Detre Discuss the mechanisms of memory������������������������������������������������������� 3rdFebruary, 2000

 

introduction

Memory takes the past as its domain, �recalled images�, re-representing our representations.

Memory is very necessary to us, in order to function and in philosophical terms to give us our only sense of permanence through time as a conscious being.

But the actual workings of memory and indeed our models of it show that the story is more complex than a single unitary memory system.

gives us a sense of identity � we are comprised of the effect experience has on our innate dispositional qualities

multiple processes

facets/characteristics of memory

retention intervals � long-term vs working (hold a sentence together while its being read/understood)

episodic � specific event

generic � refce library, dictionary (+ the rules to be processed by the language areas?), facts

explicit/implicit � w/without awareness

association

 

models of memory

stages

acquisition/encoding, storage, retrieval (recall and recognition)

 

primacy, recency

working memory objects are displaced, long term decay more (strength of the memory is graded)